Apparatus for charging a coke oven

ABSTRACT

A wagon for charging coal into a coke oven is provided with a horizontally displaceable traverse on which a vertically displaceable pickup head is mounted. This head is engageable with a cover on an opening in a coke oven to lift off this cover, then displace it laterally out of the way so as to permit filling of the oven through the opening. A T-shaped lever has one arm pivoted to the lower end of a vertically displaceable rod slidingly guided on the traverse. The T-let of this lever carries a feeler rod extending parallel to the displacement direction of the traverse and engageable with a cover when it is seized by the pickup head. A switch coacting with the upper end of this rod is operated only when the feeler engages a cover on the pickup head, in the raised position of this pickup head, so as to indicate to the discharge mechanism of the filling wagon that the cover is indeed removed from the filling opening.

[4 1 Apr. 23, 1974 APPARATUS FOR CHARGING A COKE OVEN [75] Inventor: Karl Feldhaus, Gelsenkirchen,

Germany [73] Assignee: Gewerkschaft Schalker Eisenhutte,

Gelsenkirchen-Schalke, Germany 22 Filed: June 4,1973

21 Appl, No.: 366,863

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 2, 1972 Germany 2226983 [52] US. Cl 214/35 R, 202/262, 212/4, 214/18 PH [51] Int. Cl. B666 23/54 [58] Field of Search 202/262, 263, 250, 251; 201/40; 212/4; 214/18 PH, 35 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,981,423 4/1961 Randell et al 202/262 3,440,145 4/1969 Tucker et al. 202/262 3,419,163 12/1968 Kostochka 214/18 3,079,007 2/1963 Bowman et al. 212/4 1,609,919 12/1926 Underwood 214/18 Primary Examiner--Norman Yudkoff Assistant ExaminerD. Sanders Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Karl F. Ross; Herbert Dubno 5 7 ABSTRACT A wagon for charging coal into a coke oven is provided with a horizontally displaceable traverse on which a vertically displaceable pickup head is mounted. This head is engageable with a cover on an opening in a coke oven to lift off this cover, then displace it laterally out of the way so as to permit filling of the oven through the opening. A T-shaped lever has one arm pivoted to the lower end of a vertically displaceable rod slidingly guided on the traverse. The T-let of this lever carries a feeler rod extending parallel to the displacement direction of the traverse and engageable with a cover when it is seized by the pickup head. A switch coacting with the upper end of this rod is operated only when the feeler engages a cover on the pickup head, in the raised position of this pickup head, so as to indicate to the discharge mechanism of the filling wagon that the cover is indeed removed from the filling opening.

8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures MTENTED APR 2 3 i974 SHEET 1 BF 4 FIG. 2

PATENTEDAPR 23 1914 3; 805 975 SHEET a nr 4 PATENTEBAPR 23 1914 3805975 sum u UF 4 1 APPARATUS FOR CHARGING A COKE OVEN FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for removing the cover of a coke-oven opening and for charging same with coal; more, particularly the invention relates to an arrangement for this purpose which includes a sensor for indicating that the cover has properly been removed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the loading of a coke oven having an opening in its top through which coal is charged, it is common to use a horizontally displaceable wagon which is brought over the opening and, after the filling opening is uncovered, empties its load into the oven through this opening. The mechanism for picking up the cover includes either a mechanical gripper or an electromagnet which is vertically and horizontally displaceable relative to the wagon. This pickup element is brought down onto the cover which it seizes, then is lifted and displaced laterally.

Since the cover is often a plug fitted tightly in the filling hole to prevent escape of gases it is frequently the case that the gripper or electromagnet does not pick up the cover on its first try. Thus a worker is usually stationed adjacent the filling opening to stop apparatus and have the pickup try again. Should the cycle continue uninterrupted the charging wagon will dump its entire load on top of the cover.

Attempts to provide automatic apparatus to detect whether the cover or plug has indeed been removed from the fill hole have been unsuccessful because the difficulty with which this cover must be pulled out of the hole often causes it to shift on the pickup into an off-center position which is not registered by the automatic sensor.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for charging a coke oven having a filling opening blocked by a cover.

Another object is the provision of such an apparatus which automatically ascertains if the cover or plug has been removed from the filling hole and is indeed supported by the pickup, even if this cover or plug is not positioned exactly in the center of the pickup.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These objects are attained according to the present invention in an apparatus wherein a lever is pivoted at one end on the vertically displaceable pickup, the other end of the lever being pivoted to the lower end of a control rod slidable vertically in a guide on the vertically nondisplaceable traverse of the fill carriage or wagon.

The upper end of this rod is engageable with a switch and the lever carries a feeler which is engageable with the cover when it is picked up by the pickup element.

As the pickup seizes the cover and starts to lift it the lever swings around and the feeler comes to rest on the cover. Then as the pickup continues to rise the upper end of the control arm engages and operates the switch. This switch can control the discharge function, only allowing the wagon to dump its load when it is in the operated position. Should the pickup fail to lift the cover the switch will not be operated and the wagon will not be able to dump. Furthermore nonoperation of the switch can serve to start the lifting operation over again automatically, or can sound an alarm so that an operator can ascertain the difficulty, loosening the cover if necessary.

According to another feature of this invention the lever is T-shaped, having the end of one T-arm pivoted on the pickup about a horizontal axis parallel to the displacement direction of the traverse, the end of the other T-arm pivoted on the lower end of the control rod, and the end of the T-leg carrying the feeler. The rod is downwardly biased by a spring compressed between an abutment on the rod and the guide on the traverse.

Such an arrangement is almost completely foolproof, as it will detect the presence of the cover on the pickup within a wide range of positions, always indicating when it is there by actuating the switch and never giving an indication that the cover is lifted when it is not. The mechanism is simple and not likely to be damaged by the heat, for instance, rising from an open fill hole of the coke oven.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the apparatus of this invention;

FIGS. 3 5 are views of the apparatus in the direction of arrow III of FIG. 1 showing the apparatus in different positions; and

FIG. 6 is a top sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a coke-oven filling wagon l is horizontally displaceable over the top 24 of a coke oven formed with a plurality of filling openings 23. This wagon 1 is formed with a downwardly directed funnel 2 which can pour a charge of coke through a telescoping filling tube 25 into any of the holes 23.

The wagon 1 is provided with parallel horizontal rails 9 in which ride rollers 8 carried on a traverse 3 which can be displaced back and forth on these rails relative to the carriage of the wagon 1 by means of a hydraulic cylinder shown partially at 26. Vertically displaceable on the traverse 3 is an assembly 4 having rails 11 engaging rollers 10 on this traverse 3. The assembly 4 is provided with a pickup head 5 having an electromagnet 6 supplementing a mechanical grab 27 for lifting a plug 13 from one of the holes 23.

This mechanical grab 27 comprises a motor 28 connected through a threaded spindle 29 to a hook 30 or the like such that operation of the motor mechanically engages the top of a cap 13 with the hook.

A cylinder 12 carried on the traverse 3 raises and lowers the pickup assembly 4 relative to this traverse 3, lifting with it the cover 13, whereupon the cylinder 26 serves to pull the entire traverse 3 to the left, as seen in FIG. 1 and allow the coke to be poured into the oven.

So that the discharge mechanism 33 on the funnel 2 is not actuated unless the cover 13 is indeed removed from the hole 23, mechanism 7 is provided to detect just when the cover 13 is lifted. A T-shaped lever 15 has one arm 19 pivoted on the head about a horizontal axis A parallel to the displacement direction of the traverse 3 and another arm 20 pivoted on the lower end of a control rod 16 vertically slidable in a guide 22 carried on the traverse 3. The T-leg 21 of this lever is provided with a feeler rod 14 which extends along the head 6 underneath it and parallel to the axis. The upper end of the rod 16 carries a switch-actuating block 31 which operates a control switch 17 carried on the traverse 3. A spring 18 is compressed between a snap ring 32 on the rod 16 and the guide 22 so as to urge the rod 16 downwardly, although in any case the weight of this rod would pull it downwardly to a limited extent.

As shown in FIG. 5 there are two situations in which the block 31 does not engage the switch 17 and actuate it. When the head 5 is lowered, as shown in dot-dash lines, the feeler is pivoted completely out of the way to the side and the rod 16 is pushed all the way down by the spring 16. And when the head 5 is lifted without picking up a cover 13 the feeler rotates around and comes into contact with the bottom of the magnet 6, again allowing the spring 18 to pull the rod all the way down.

When, however, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 the cover 13 is seized by the head 5 the lever 15 can only rotate until the feeler arm 14 engages the cover 13, even if this cover 13 is widely off center on the magnet 6. In this position the block 31 engages the switch 17 and closes it, indicating to a control mechanism 32 connected to the discharge mechanism 33 that the load can be dumped.

As shown in FIG. 6 it is possible to provide a second lever arm 15' identical to the arm 15 but to the other side of the head 5 and connected to the other end of the feeler arm 14. A second switch is operated by this second lever 15' through its control rod 16 as a backup system.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for filling a furnace having a filling hole blocked by a cover, said apparatus comprising:

a carriage displaceable above said cover and provided with a filling device; a horizontally displaceable traverse on said carriage;

pickup means on said traverse displaceable between an upper position and a lower position and engageable in said lower position with said cover on said hole for seizing and lifting said cover from said hole;

a lever having one end pivoted on said pickup means and carrying a feeler engageable in said upper position of said pickup means with said cover when same is seized by said pickup means;

a vertically displaceable control rod pivoted on the other end of said lever;

a guide on said traverse receiving said rod and permitting vertical displacement thereof relative to said traverse;

a switch on said traverse operable by said rod only with said feeler engaging said cover controlling said device; and

means for lifting said pickup means with said cover and pivoting said lever such that said feeler engages said cover. I

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 further comprising spring means for biasing said rod downwardly.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said lever is T-shaped and has one T-arm pivoted on said pickup means, the other T-arm pivoted on said rod, and a T-leg carrying said feeler.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein said feeler is a horizontal rodengageable with the underside of said pickup means. I r

5. The apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein said lever is pivoted on said pickup means about a horizontal axis, said feeler rod extending parallel to said axis.

with said cover. 

1. An apparatus for filling a furnace having a filling hole blocked by a cover, said apparatus comprising: a carriage displaceable above said cover and provided with a filling device; a horizontally displaceable traverse on said carriage; pickup means on said traverse displaceable between an upper position and a lower position and engageable in said lower position with said cover on said hole for seizing and lifting said cover from said hole; a lever having one end pivoted on said pickup means and carrying a feeler engageable in said upper position of said pickup means with said cover when same is seized by said pickup means; a vertically displaceable control rod pivoted on the other end of said lever; a guide on said traverse receiving said rod and permitting vertical displacement thereof relative to said traverse; a switch on said traverse operable by said rod only with said feeler engaging said cover controlling said device; and means for lifting said pickup means with said cover and pivoting said lever such that said feeler engages said cover.
 2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 further comprising spring means for biasing said rod downwardly.
 3. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said lever is T-shaped and has one T-arm pivoted on said pickup means, the other T-arm pivoted on said rod, and a T-leg carrying said feeler.
 4. The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein said feeler is a horizontal rod engageable with the underside of said pickup means.
 5. The apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein said lever is pivoted on said pickup means about a horizontal axis, said feeler rod extending parallel to said axis.
 6. The apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein said traverse is displaceable parallel to said axis.
 7. The apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein said axis is to the side of said pickup means and said feeler rod lies below said axis.
 8. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said pickup means includes an electromagnet engageable with said cover. 